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NEW DELHI: India kept Sri Lanka to a modest 121 for six as the visitors struggled to capitalise on loose deliveries in the opening Women’s T20I on Sunday. Dew had already begun to influence proceedings but the Indian bowlers held their nerve through most phases of the innings.

Opener Vishmi Gunaratne was the top scorer for Sri Lanka with a patient 39 off 43 balls. Hasini Perera added 20 while Harshitha Samarawickrama contributed 21 as Sri Lanka failed to build any sustained momentum.

Early intent from Chamari

Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu started positively, clipping a Kranti Gaud delivery off her pads for a boundary early in her stay.

Fresh from being named Player of the Series in India’s ODI World Cup triumph, Deepti Sharma showed her sharpness straight away. She dived full length to turn what seemed a certain four into a single, although Athapaththu followed it up with two boundaries off Gaud in quick succession.

The aggressive approach, however, proved costly. Gaud altered her angle by going around the wicket and the change paid off as the ball sneaked between bat and pad to crash into Athapaththu’s stumps, giving India a crucial first breakthrough.

India tighten the screws

Hasini Perera found a boundary at deep fine leg before Harmanpreet Kaur brought Deepti into the attack inside the powerplay. Deepti began with a maiden as Hasini failed to put away a couple of loose balls, leaving Sri Lanka 31 for one at the end of six overs.

Debutant Vaishnavi Sharma impressed with her control. Bowling at a slower pace than fellow left arm spinner Shree Charani, the 20-year-old conceded just three runs in her opening over and finished with tidy figures of none for 16 from four overs.

Missed chances but steady pressure

Hasini played a reverse sweep off Charani for four before the bowler put down a straightforward chance at short fine leg in the following over. The missed opportunity denied Vaishnavi a potential maiden international wicket.

The reprieve did not last long. Searching for quick runs, Hasini fell in the next over, picking out Gaud at short third while attempting another reverse sweep against Deepti.

Despite the dew making the ball harder to grip, India’s bowlers kept things tight and restricted Sri Lanka to 55 for two at the halfway stage.

Charani endured a tough day in the field as she later dropped Harshitha Samarawickrama off Arundhati Reddy, but overall, India remained firmly in control through disciplined bowling and sharp intent.

(With PTI Inputs)